1. Brings lots of treats. Bribery will get a pet owner everywhere, especially if they need to get their dog to behave. Even the most well-behaved dogs can have an off day when faced with unfamiliar surroundings and situations.

2. Find the nearest emergency vet. Before you travel, research where the closest vet and emergency vet is to your destination. You never know when this information could come in handy and it’s better to have it at your fingertips than scrambling with your smartphone in an emergency situation. Or after your dog's been bitten and bloodied at the dog park. True story.

Taylor Swift just became the newest member of a very elite travel club: those who travel in private jets with their cats.

This club, unofficially initiated by Paris Hilton, counts Karl Lagerfeld as one of its most active members. Karl's cat Choupette is a very frequent flyer, sometimes even heading up to nap in the sun coming into the cockpit.

Taylor's cats, Meredith and Olivia, prefer to chill in the cabin in the arms of their owner. For her jet trip back to New York City to perform at the New Year's Eve Times Square ball drop, Taylor cradled Olivia.

Last year, we covered the fact that Emirates allows passengers in all cabins the ability to bring their pet falcon on the plane with them. Now, Lufthansa is responding to the uptick in popularity of falconry by also opening their arms to the birds of prey, even creating a nifty little stand for both bird and owner to be comfortable on a plane.

Starting later in 2015, falcons will be allowed to fly in Lufthansa cabins so long as they wear hoods and are tethered. In First Class, the birds can enjoy the Falcon Master, a perch-seat with safety and hygienic protection specifically for the bird, which secures in the tracks of Lufthansa's aircraft.

The darling of the internet both this week and last week was, without a doubt, little Pup 681. The Southern Sea Otter was found orphaned and crying on a California beach and, after rehabilitation at Monterey Bay, she now is learning to swim and gaining in health at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.

In the midst of Otter hyper, media has totally missed the equally adorable story of another orphaned baby animal on his way to a new life. "Blue," a 4-week-old cougar kitten was found in Idaho and, as wildlife officials were unable to reunite him with his mother, he was in need of a new home and transportation to it.

Ever packed heavy for a trip, only to have the airline check-in agent weigh your bag with a scowl on her face? Overweight/oversize luggage is nothing compared to what FedEx has to deal with.

As you may know, Reddit hosts Q & A sessions called an "AMA" (Ask Me Anything), to essentially allow anyone to ask questions of celebrities, politicians, and those with incredibly unique careers.

We can't believe we missed it but, back in 2012, an AMA was conducted with Dave Lange, Managing Director of the Aircraft Charters Department at FedEx Express. That vague title hides what is perhaps one of the most intriguing job descriptions in the aviation industry. Lange is in charge of shipments which require the use of an entire plane, be it exotic sports cars or satellites and top secret containers or live whales. Yes, whales can fly.

From the airline that brought you a channel dedicated to a 7-hour train trip through Norway now comes a channel devoted to nonstop cuteness. Debuting this September on British Airways' long-haul flights, "Paws and Relax" will initially lead off with the comic series "Simon’s Cat," the documentary "The Secret Life of Cats," and the awwww-inspiring "America’s Cutest Dog."

It's obviously a departure from the usual in-flight fare of almost-new movie releases and TV series from B-list actors, but "Paws and Relax" is based on the very real research that watching cute animals lowers blood pressure and facilitates relaxation. The goal? To "enhance the wellbeing of customers" flying BA.

Very important cat news! Venus, the two-tone face cat and social media darling flew to the Big Apple for some TV appearances this week, including a cute cameo on Good Morning America.

Venus, who was adopted off a dairy farm where she was living as a feral stray, turned 5 this year. Her owner uses Venus' exposure on social media to promote the adoption of pets who need good homes. We became aware of her while idly browsing Instagram's #catsofinstagram hashtag one day over a year ago, and have followed this chimera cutie's adventures since.

Venus' travels aren't frequent, but she did post the photo above of her and her owner enjoying a photo op in the cockpit of a Delta plane today.

Things might soon be a little safer for Fido and Fluffy, as Uncle Sam is changing up the reporting requirements when it comes to what happens to pets on planes. The rules aren’t really changing, but at least having a better knowledge of what’s going on might benefit both animals and their owners.

The US Transportation Department just added a whole bunch of extra airlines which must report further on animals up in the air—especially the bad things like critters who were lost, hurt, or (ugh) those who died during their travels. There are now 27 airlines that have these reporting requirements, and before that it was just 14.

Fido and Fluffy will no longer be sad back at home during your next trip, as Amtrak is now welcoming furry friends on certain trains and some routes. Just yesterday Amtrak started up this new program, so now you can plan your vacation itinerary with some tourist stops that your dog will enjoy as well—world’s largest fire hydrant?

The train transportation giant has a few special cars that will allow pets as part of a trial run that will do its thing for like six months or so. Amtrak's Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg trains that do their thing between spots in Illinois like Chicago and Quincy are part of the pilot, and if the animals behave things might just become available nationwide on more trains and more routes.

Good news for those who travel to or through Detroit Metropolitan Airport, as the airport has just added a place for service animals to make a little pit stop during their layovers.

Over in the McNamara Terminal—the one with all the Delta traffic—airport officials have set up what they’re calling Central Bark Animal Relief Area. Basically it’s a restroom for service dogs complete with a couple patches of grass, as well as a fire hydrant to set the mood.

Have you ever flown with a pet? It can be a frustrating experience, not to mention expensive, but from time to time even four-legged and feathered friends need to go on vacation too.

This brings us around to the above photo, of two men traveling in economy class on a flight either to or from the middle east, who are enjoying a little in-flight entertainment, a little nap, and a little quality time with their falcons.

The image comes courtesy of @mrstrefusis on Twitter, who explains a bit further: "my friend who lives in the UAE sent it to me - I've asked him if it's something he saw himself or if he found it on t'interweb."

Now, next time we see a traveler trying to calm a yapping dog, we'll just be happy we're not sitting next to two birds of prey with very real claws and very real sharp beaks.

YesterdayNovember 13, 2013was more than just another Wednesday. For Virgin America and a group of homeless chihuahua puppies, it was "Operation Chihuahua Airlift" and the promise of a positive future. Through a partnership with the City of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC), Virgin America flies these doggies from Los Angesles-LAX to Newark-EWR with the goal of delivering them to loving homes through the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

This is actually the 5th airlift by Virgin America for the pups, and it's probably not the last since the operation is all about achieving this heartwarming goal: "The overpopulation of Chihuahuas in California continues to force animal shelters on the West Coast to look to shelters on the East Coast for help – where there is demand for the dogs among apartment-dwelling New Yorkers."